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Doctor fees drop for Botox, hair removal


 

The average physician fee for the most popular form of minimally invasive cosmetic surgery, the injection of botulinum toxin type A, dropped nearly 9% from 2009 to 2012, according to data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

The average fees for four of the five most popular minimally invasive surgeries fell during that period. Laser hair removal showed the greatest decline (18.7%), followed by botulinum toxin A (8.9%). Average fees also fell for chemical peels (6.8%) and soft tissue fillers (5.7%). However, the average fee for microdermabrasion went up 1.3%, the ASPS data showed.

The average physician fees for 2012 were $369 for botulinum injection, $614 for soft tissue fillers, $712 for chemical peels, $329 for laser hair removal, and $154 for microdermabrasion.

An estimated 6.1 million botulinum toxin A injections were performed in 2012, which was almost half of the 13 million minimally invasive procedures performed for the year. The next-most-popular procedure was soft tissue filler injections, which accounted for almost 2 million procedures, the ASPS reported.

rfranki@frontlinemedcom.com

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